Dabba Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 The only thing that worries me and stresses me the most is completion of my LOR. I have one left to get. One remains unfinished because my ex LT either doesnt know how or won't upload the .doc to complete the letter, and the doctor I shadowed hasnt even opened the email yet. She was my professor and very willing to let me shadow her. I ended up shadowing her twice on the overnight and I feel we had a good relationship. However, I sent her the Caspa email on the 20th of May , and then seeing as her and another professor haven't even opened the emails, emailed them again on the 3rd onasking if I could do anything more for them. My other professor completed the letter within 3 days, but the Doctor hasnt touched it or responded to me. How much time should I give her? And I she gave me her number, would a text be unprofessional? I'd like to submit soon, so I'm pretty worried. Actually, I'm pretty worried because I have no direct control over this and it drives me nuts. Any advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dndandrea Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Why not try calling her or giving or a visit at work? You can ask if there's any problem and if there's anything you can do to help. Give them a July deadline so they understand it has to be done soon. I wouldn't be too worried though, it's still very early in the application cycle. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
lanime Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Keep in mind that other people are not living and breathing the CASPA application ; ) She may just be busy and completing your LOR is somewhere on her to do list. If you are really worried, I would just give her a call and find out if she needs any additional info. As dndandrea said, it's still pretty early so don't stress too much (easier said than done). Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ilovelost Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 I'd touch base in person. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted June 8, 2015 Share Posted June 8, 2015 Touch base in person, or by making a telephone call. Text should not be on the table unless both of you have communicated with each other that way in the past. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabba Posted June 8, 2015 Author Share Posted June 8, 2015 Touch base in person, or by making a telephone call. Text should not be on the table unless both of you have communicated with each other that way in the past. We have, or I would not be comfortable with it. I know first hand that she's pretty busy, but at the same time I really really need this letter. I guess I'll wait another few days to a week and shoot a text. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious_Ignoramus Posted June 9, 2015 Share Posted June 9, 2015 Pop in her office and give a friendly reminder. After 1 month of waiting I got 2/4 from docs with a reminder email expressing my gratitude for letting me interrupt their busy schedules, etc, and that I would still be in good shape if I could apply by the end of the month. 1/4 is still writing it, and has told me to give her daily reminders until she gets it done. I see all of these people on a regular basis. The last one didn't get done before the prof went on a medical mission trip, so that's out the window... Keep at it, your writer may need the reminders in order to bump the topic back up to the top of her list, so to speak. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabba Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Shot her a text this morning and I have not heard back from her at all. I find this odd given how we interacted in the past. If neither reference can complete their letter I'm completely screwed for this cycle. :( Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
loliz Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 When did they first receive the link to upload the letter? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabba Posted June 10, 2015 Author Share Posted June 10, 2015 Emailed it to her the 20th of May Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
greenmood Posted June 10, 2015 Share Posted June 10, 2015 I would really encourage you to have an actual conversation with her. It's very easy to ignore a text or email. Explain to her that the rest of your application is finished. Ask her (again) if she feels she has time to write you a good letter. Give her an out - it is better for you at this point to start searching for another reference than to wait on someone who won't complete it at all, or who will write you something perfunctory. If she says she is super busy... tell her you understand that fully, and that if she thinks she can complete it in the next two weeks you will still be a viable candidate for your programs. You should be open and up front about your needs. You should give her a deadline. Two weeks from now will be over a month since you sent her the email. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabba Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 I'll give her until next week then I'll call. Those is not the first time a reference flaked when it came down to it. I don't get it. If you can't do it, say so. You would think Drs/PAs know the struggle and would be willing to help out give you advanced notice Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious_Ignoramus Posted June 11, 2015 Share Posted June 11, 2015 They're busy folks. Pop in her office and say, in a very kind and courteous manner, "you're holding my application up." This sufficed for my LORs, for which I sent the CASPA requests and waited over a month. I told each writer "thank you so much for this letter, blah blah, I am ready submit as soon as all letters are in..." or something like that. Don't text, don't call, go to her office. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabba Posted June 11, 2015 Author Share Posted June 11, 2015 She does not have an office sadly. Calling is probably the closest i can get, without stalking ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabba Posted June 28, 2015 Author Share Posted June 28, 2015 Called her last week and she called me back. She apologized and said she'd get b on it. She still hasnt even touched it as of this post. I called twice yesterday and left a message. I'm freaking out because my other two letters fell through. I have one more possibility that's a stretch. I'm wondering if i should email a professor that wrote me a letter and helped me a lot and ask for his help/advice? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JPG13 Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 Dabba, your situation really sucks and I would also be pretty stressed about the situation. I hope this doesn't come off as too harsh but my faith in this LOR would be dead by now. The doctor has had over a month to reply to the CASPA email, and still hasn't completed it a week after apologizing for the delay. Maybe she has something crazy going on in her life, maybe not. So to understand your situation, do you only have one LOR in and you need two more? If I were in your shoes, I would reach out to anyone I was on a good basis with, explain my situation, and ask for a LOR. I'd focus on wherever you got your HCE, even if you're not close with them, if you've worked with them and you know each other, I'd try. The worst they can say is no. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabba Posted June 29, 2015 Author Share Posted June 29, 2015 Ive exhausted options from my HCE, current job, and academics. Doc is flaking, Ex Lt is Flaking, and Ex Capt blew me off after saying sure (He wrote me one last year) I'm going to call tomorrow to see if I can shadow another doctor that my family knows, but needless to say my faith in fellow humans is at an all time low. Ive had two Health Care professions flake on me, one of which was a friend, both had to jump through the same hoops. I guess once you make it you forget what stressing over your future is like? Sorry, venting. Gonna see what I can do with the family friend. If not, I'm going to have to scrap my application for this cycle.. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
fakingpatience Posted June 29, 2015 Share Posted June 29, 2015 What LOR do you have so far? You're an EMT right? What about asking a medic you worked with to write one? Another thing that might help is giving your references essentially a blueprint/ outline of what you want written/ think would be pertinent for them to include. That way they don't have to commit as much time to thinking about what to write. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabba Posted June 30, 2015 Author Share Posted June 30, 2015 One of the flakes is a supervisor I asked from my EMT job. What I have is a professor, and my current boss of 5 years at my current job. I had planned for the doc I shadowed and the other supervisor but both are not completing it. Long story short, I had five people say yes but only two come through. I didn't account for this level of getting blown off so I'm kind of scrambling. I'm going to contact my other professor and the family friend today and let you know how it turns out. Hopefully 6 is a lucky number ha Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Guest JPG13 Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Hope everyhing works out! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Glorious_Ignoramus Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 Hmmm...had a prof flake on me as well. Have you considered someone who might know you professionally, but in a capacity other than medical or supervisory? As an illustration, I brought up some errors to the director of our hospital a while ago, as he made his rounds through primary care. He noted my concerns. A week later, the chiefs of staff and of primary care both visited with me to dig into the issue, which was consequently solved (mostly). As a result, the chief of staff got to know me and I (on the advice of a trusted nurse...I would not have had the courage to approach the #2 in command for something like this on my own) requested an LOR of her which she agreed to and wrote after about 3 weeks. Think outside the LOR box of supervisor, physician shadowed, etc. You have to know someone who can say something awesome and professional about you. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
PAGuy55 Posted June 30, 2015 Share Posted June 30, 2015 I would definitely forget about the letter at this point. Seems like they are uninterested. I wouldn't even want them to write me one. You really have no other options for letters? Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Dabba Posted July 4, 2015 Author Share Posted July 4, 2015 Im going to pursue shadowing a family friend and hopefully can get a letter from him, and I also reached out to another professor for advice/help. If that doesn't work I need to start working on next year somehow Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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